Movies That Matter

Stacy and Nicole discuss  Barbie and the movie's message about The Patriarchy. The first of a two part episode, we praise the movie for its sets, costumes, performances, and its honor of Barbie. We get into the male backlash against the movie and how men prefer toxic masculinity to any alternative presented on the left. Stay tuned for the second half! Website Store YouTube Facebook Group Page  

Justin and Nicole discuss  Oppenheimer and the issues around nuclear proliferation. We disagree on how much we liked the movie. We enjoyed the parts about the bomb and the sound design but disagreed on the later segments featuring Robert Downey Jr. We talk about the benefits and risks of nuclear proliferation, and Japan's special status as the only country to experience a nuclear bomb. Justin reco...

Lexy, Nicole, and special guest Monique discuss Joy Ride  and the unique experience of Korean adoptees growing up in white families. We disagree on the humor based on personal taste and our appreciation of raunchy comedy. We all enjoyed the more serious and heartfelt aspects of film. We delve into a discussion about the experiences of Korean adoptees especially the difficulties of interracial adop...

Adam and Nicole talk Indiana Jones, reviewing Dial of Destiny and the franchise as a whole. We give our definitive rankings on the five films and talk about how Indiana Jones has weathered the changes in movies while staying surprisingly consistent over time. At heart, the franchise is a swashbuckling adventure featuring a likable hero, a rare commodity these days. Adam recommends the  Insidious  ...

Lexy and Nicole discuss  Elemental and the stereotypical immigrant story. Lexy liked the movie better than Nicole despite agreeing the plot and writing were clunky. Performances by the actors elevated the poor material. The story sticks to a very stereotypical immigrant story casting the first generation american child against the prescribed path of her immigrant parents. It does little to tread a...

Justin, Stacy, and Nicole discuss the Miles Morales Spider-Verse and Spider-Man's introduction in the 1960s as the first modern superhero. We are blown away by the animation first and foremost and the sheer creativity on display. We talk about the origins of Spider-Man as a novel character being a relatable teen and discuss how new Spider "people" fit into a modernized version of a superhero.  Jus...

Garret and Nicole discuss  The Little Mermaid and the story's place in the queer canon. We both enjoyed the film, while not necessarily agreeing on the need for a remake. We dissect some of the crucial changes that fundamentally alter the message of the movie particularly the changes to Ursula. We discuss the origins of the story that is itself an analogy for queer love and the queer coding in the...

Garret and Nicole discuss  Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret the film adaptation of Judy Blume's beloved novel. We praise the movie for its heartfelt emotion, never straying into saccharine messaging or melodrama. We both agree Kathy Bates was miscast. We discuss the horrors of puberty and some of the movie's themes about a religious upbringing. Garret recommends Dear Mr. Henshaw . Nicole recom...

Justin, Adam, and Nicole discuss  Renfield and the enduring legacy of Dracula. We enjoyed the movie's fresh take on Dracula, one of fiction's most enduring characters. We found the movie funny and the characters appealing. We talk about why Dracula continues to be a popular figure on film going through some history and canon with a larger discussion about the appeal of vampires. Justin recommends ...

Garret and Nicole review  Duneons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and the importance of role-playing games. We were both delighted by the movie, particularly the ensemble cast and the wonderful world building. We discuss the merits of building commmunity in role-playing games and the benefit of hobbies in general. Garret recommends trying Dungeouns and Dragons or an escape room. Nicole recommends...

Adam and Nicole talk all things  Scream . We give our rankings for the six released movie and discuss the franchise's endurance and it's ability to shift with the times.  Adam recommends  True Dective   Season 2 and  The Dry by Jane Harper. Nicole recommends  Mythic Quest . Website Store YouTube Facebook Group Page

Justin and Nicole discuss  Cocaine Bear and America's War on Drugs. We both enjoyed the B movieness of it all, the diversity of the cast, and its 80s authenticity. We segue into a discussion on the harms of the War on Drugs and why America can't seem to reform drug policy based on evidence. Nicole recommends  Justified . Justin recommends  Ozark . Website Store YouTube Facebook Group Page  

Lexy and Nicole discuss M3GAN and the costs of relying on A.I. for companionship, particularly on childhood development. We were surprised how much we liked the movie and impressed with the creation of M3GAN technologically. We discussed how relying on screens/technology for our relationship needs it degrades our emotional well-being. Lexy recommends The Devil in Me . Nicole recommends The Two-Fam...

Adam and Nicole discuss Babylon and the sacrifices they have to make for MtM listeners. The movie is a joyless, scatalogical slog excepting the scenes of film being made. We discuss who deserves to get this level of creative control in a movie and where future auteurs will be developed. Adam recommends Tar . Nicole recommends The Take's The Dragon Lady Trope . Website Store YouTube Facebook Group...

Stacy and Nicole discuss Empire of Light and how movie theaters help make the world more bearable. We find the movie beautifully crafted and acted, but lacking in subletly. We're unsure how effective the portrayal of mental illness and May/December romance works for the movie. We also discuss how movies create community and joy, but escapism can only go so far. Stacy recommends . Nicole recommends...

Lexy, Stacy and Nicole discuss She Said and the aftermath of the #metoo movement. We found the movie started slow and a bit stilted but overall the strong performances from the entire cast elevated the movie. We discuss what changes have been made post #metoo. We're skeptical about how men have changed their attitudes and behavior and also cover some real changes that have been made to employment...

Garret and Nicole discuss Triangle of Sadness. We disagree on the value of the movie and about anti-capitalism. We get into a generational debate about what it means to eat the rich. Nicole recommends The Exterminating Angel and Garret recommends The Square , After the Dark , and Anne Frank's poetry. Website Store YouTube Twitter Facebook Group Page

Justin and Nicole discuss Till and the many paths people take to activism. We appreciated the colorful pallette and rich interiors and the decision not to show violence. We cover Mamie's grief journey and how standing up for her son naturally led to standing up for civil rights. Justin recommends Netflix movie The Harder They Fall , and Nicole recommends the podcast Sentimental Garbage. Website St...

Justin and Nicole discuss Nope and when it's ok to gawk at the spectacle and when we should look away. We appreciate the cinematography and the carefully crafted details Jordan Peele adds to his films. We discuss the line between voyeurism that leads to negative societal impact and the things we need to look at in order to create social change. Justin recommends Lovecraft Country on HBO and Nicole...

Adam and Nicole discuss Elvis and how the music industry is plagued by shady managers and unfair contracts even to this day. We both appreciated Austin Butler’s performance as Elvis but found the early part of the movie technically problematic. We delve into how prevalent shady managers and unfair contracts still are in the music industry. Adam recommends Lapvona by Otessa Moshfegh and Nicole reco...

Stacy and Nicole discuss Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and the complications of sex work. We were both disarmed by Daryl McCormack's performance and appreciated the lighting and art direction. We discuss sex tourism for women and the how sex work fits into caring professions in general. Stacy recommends The Girlfriend Experience and Nicole recommends The Sessions .

Garret and Nicole discuss Fire Island , how well the #Pride and Prejudice adaptation worked and how gay hierarchies work in real life. We enjoyed the comedy and soundtrack, but not the romance and found the writing weak in places. We talk throught the racial and money divide in the gay community, and how oppressed groups create their own systems of oppression. Garret recommends Pride and the Disne...

Lexy and Nicole discuss Men , whether the movie was actually scary, toxic masculinity, and the roles men force on women. We criticize the movie for not really understanding the subject matter and not capturing women's perspectives. Watch Promising Young Woman instead. Lexy recommends An Absolutely Remarkable Thing . Nicole recommends  Lessons in Chemistry . Website Store YouTube Twitter Facebook g...

What does it mean to be a villain? Movie villains have gone from supporting characters in classic hero’s tales to protagonists in their own movies and franchises. Join the Movies That Matter podcast team in a discussion about the rise of villain-centered movies. The panel will dive into the trend, discussing the values and morals reflected in the sub-genre and how it relates to society today. Webs...

A departure from the usual fare, listen to the AwesomeCon panel participants plan for the presentation. Nicole, Christopher, Stacy, Lexy and Garret discuss villain-centered movies and what the core coverage should be for the panel.  Come see us live at AwesomeCon on Saturday 8/21! https://awesome-con.com/tickets/ Website Store YouTube Twitter Facebook group page